ALG praises Florida Senate and House committee rejections of Medicaid expansion

March 11, 2013, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement praising Florida Senate and House committees that have killed Governor Rick Scott's proposal to expand Medicaid:

"Both these Senate and House committees have saved federal taxpayers some $20 billion from 2014 to 2019, and Florida taxpayers another $1 billion by 2022 by not following Governor Scott's ill-advised proposal to expand Medicaid by 1 million people. This should set the stage for other state legislatures, like Arizona, Michigan, and Ohio, to break ranks with their governors by refusing to implement Obamacare.

"Overall, if every state were to expand Medicaid, it would increase spending by more than $117 billion a year in additional costs just for starters. In this case, not implementing Obamacare is the best medicine for what ails the U.S. economy: too much debt."

To view online: http://getliberty.org/alg-praises-senate-and-house-committee-rejections-of-medicaid-expansion/

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Americans for Limited Government is a non-partisan, nationwide network committed to advancing free market reforms, private property rights and core American liberties. For more information on ALG please call us at 703-383-0880 or visit our website at www.GetLiberty.org.

Karger Threatens to Boycott Florida Orange Juice Unless Primary Moved Back

Governor Rick Scott

State of Florida
The Capitol
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001

Florida State House Speaker Dean Cannon

1992 Mizell Avenue, Suite 200

Winter Park, FL 32792-4117

Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning

Florida Department of State
R. A. Gray Building
500 South Bronough Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250

Re:  Potential Boycott of Florida Orange Juice

Gentleman:

Florida is jeopardizing the most important decision we make as Americans every four years, the election of the President of the United States.

By violating Republican National Committee rules and choosing January 31, 2012 for Florida’s Presidential Primary, you have created havoc in the Presidential selection process.  Florida has gained nothing by moving its primary date forward and will remain the fifth contest.  You have caused tremendous disruption and uncertainty in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.  Florida would rob voters of one of the most important tools they need to make an informed decision: time.

Voters need time during the coming months to fully vet all eleven serious Republican Presidential candidates.  Florida would potentially rob American voters of two months of campaigning which only helps the frontrunner.  As one of these candidates for President, I cannot sit idly by while the state of Florida threatens the entire selection process.

The 2012 presidential election is of extreme importance.  Our nation is at a crucial juncture and Florida’s poorly thought out decision is ill-conceived and un-American.

Boycott Florida Orange Juice

If Florida does not agree to move its primary back to its original date in March 2012 by November 1, 2011, we will officially launch a nationwide Boycott of Florida Orange Juice.  We have the domain name, have begun developing our web site and have the ticking orange on our logo:

 

In my fight for civil rights over the last three years, I have led four national and global boycotts.  I was involved in the Anita Bryant inspired Florida Orange Juice Boycott in 1978, and am keenly aware of the economic pressure that boycotts wield.  I have begun speaking with Republican and political leaders in New Hampshire, Iowa, South Carolina and Nevada.  There is tremendous interest in our possible boycott.

Daily Caller:  http://www.topix.com/who/fred-karger

NBC: http://twitter.com/#!/JoNBCNews

Nashua Telegraph:  http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/newsstatenewengland/936403-227/huntsman-eyes-surprise-in-nh.html

Think Progress: http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2011/10/13/343648/openly-gay-gop-presidential-candidate-threatens-florida-with-orange-juice-boycott/

America is looking to you Governor Scott, House Speaker Cannon and Secretary of State Browning to restore order to our democratic process.  Please do not let us down.

Best regards,

Fred Karger

cc:  Reince Preibus, Chairman, Republican National Committee
Michele Bachmann, Congresswoman from Minnesota
Herman Cain, Former CEO, Godfather’s Pizza
Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker of the House
Jon Huntsman, Former Governor of Utah
Gary Johnson, Former Governor of New Mexico
Ron Paul, Congressman from Texas
Rick Perry, Governor of Texas
Buddy Roemer, Former Governor of Louisiana
Mitt Romney, Former Governor of Massachusetts
Rick Santorum, Former Senator of Pennsylvania
Chad Connelly, Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party
Lenny Curry, Chairman of the Florida Republican Party
Wayne McDonald, Chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party
Matthew Strawn, Chairman of the Iowa Republican Party
Michael Garavaglia, Vice Chair of the Florida Department of Citrus
Steve Caruso, CEO of Florida’s Natural
Indra Nooyi, Chairman & CEO of PepsiCo, Tropicana
Muhtar Kent, Chairman & CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, Minute Maid
Distribution

CEI Daily - CBO Pension Report, HIV Testing, and Florida

CBO Pension Report

A new Pew Center report estimates that the nation's public pensions are underfunded by about $1.26 trillion. The CBO elaborated on the Pew Center report and took a close look at the discount rate used in the $1.26 trillion estimation.

Labor Policy Analyst Ivan Osorio responds to the CBO report

"The uncertainty over state and local government pensions funds’ total shortfall underscores the difficulty of addressing the underfunding problem, but addressed it must be. Better identifying the problem helps, and the CBO joining the discussion goes some way toward that. However, the policies it lays out here are problematic."

 

 

HIV Testing

The Adult Industry Medical Foundation used to regularly test adult film stars for HIV---but it closed down, after years of harassment from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

Policy Analyst Michelle Minton comments on the clinic's closing.

"For years the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has attacked the AIM clinic, claiming that it was not sufficiently treating actors and provided a false sense of security. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation was primarily pushing for mandatory condom usage on porn sets. As I wrote last year in the LA Times, it is perplexing that AHF, which supposedly cares about the health and wellness of porn actors, has relentlessly attacked the AIM clinic over many years."

Florida

Recently-passed laws in Florida ban bestiality and sagging pants.

Fellow in Regulatory Studies Ryan Young explains.

"The bestiality bill, SB 344, is rather, ahem, detailed. I will spare you those details, and only point out that the bill would make it illegal to '[k]nowingly engage in any sexual conduct or sexual contact with an animal.' That means if someone unknowingly engages in the same (how?), they have not committed a crime. One wonders if any offenders will try to use that defense. The baggy pants bill, SB 228, requires all Florida public school districts to add a droopy pants ban to their dress codes. The bill also prescribes punishments. First-time offenders get a verbal warning. A second offense means a suspension from extracurricular activities for up to five days. Every offense after that means up to three days of in-school suspension and no extracurriculars for up to 30 days. The student’s parents also get a note from the school."



NRN - Must Reads from February 9, 2011

• In Florida: Great Scott!
• Can States protect the secret ballot for non-union workers?
• Cronyism isn't capitalism
• How Obama can change the debate on spending cuts
• Two year delay of EPA regs?
• Barone: The decline and fall of the New York Times
• The unseen consequences of "green jobs"
• George Will: Egypt's revolution to win or lose
• Excluding inactivity from the Commerce Clause still leaves Congress with far too much power
• The Patriot Act vs. the Fourth Amendment
• Save the NFL, now!

Read more at NetRightDaily.com.



ALG Praises Florida Governor for Medicaid, Pensions Overhaul

February 8^th, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement praising a plan by Florida Governor Rick Scott to overhaul the Medicaid and public pensions systems in his state:

"Governor Rick Scott's proposal to move Medicaid recipients into managed care plans could save as much as $2 billion a year and is a move that warrants consideration by all governors and legislatures across the country.  Medicaid spending is already sinking state governments with $60 billion in annual obligations that are set to dramatically rise as temporary federal 'stimulus' moneys run out.  After that, state Medicaid spending will only rise in the next 10 years.  This is a program that must be scaled back if states are to get their fiscal houses in order.  Governor Scott is to be applauded for taking this step.

"Governor Scott also plans to put new government employees into a 401(k)-style retirement system and for all government employees to contribute 5 percent of their salaries to retirement.  This will likely save another $1.4 billion every year, and give public employees a greater stake in the solvency of their retirement funds.  And by transitioning new employees into defined contribution plans, Florida is putting itself on sounder fiscal footing for the coming years.  With unfunded pension liabilities for states totaling as much as $3 trillion, phasing out and eventually eliminating defined benefit plans must be at the top of every state's long-term fiscal planning.  There is too much at stake.

"Thanks to these remarkable steps by Governor Scott to slash state spending, he can afford to include in his plan $2 billion in property and corporate tax cuts.  These will make it easier for Florida to clear out its excess housing stock, and add new incentives for businesses to set up shop there.

"Taken together, slashing Medicaid spending, reforming the public pension system, and reducing the tax burden are a model for every state in the Union to follow.  These are the steps that must be taken to make America competitive again, and to save governments from certain insolvency."